King County Elections conducted a statistically valid survey of 604 randomly-selected registered voters in order to assess our agency’s performance. This excerpt contains results relative to web communication. See complete report: http://kingcounty.gov/elections/referenceresources/publications/2011votersurvey.aspx

1. King County Elections Survey
Research Findings
Excerpt, Web related findings
October 30, 2011

2. 2
Interest in Election Apps
King County Elections wishes to increase and improve the use of new technology and social media
tools to optimize its communications of voting information and news about elections. Pursuant to this
objective, the survey asked voters who own smart phones to give their opinions about the usefulness
of five specific applications.
 Among all voters surveyed, 45% said that they have smart phones or mobile devices that use
apps. As expected, smart phone owners were likely to be younger (under age 45), college
educated and high income earners. They were more likely to prefer online voting in the future,
and said they had previously visited the KCE website.
 These respondents were asked to evaluate the usefulness of proposed Elections apps (displayed
in the following slide). Overall results were very positive, with a majority of respondents in
agreement that all five applications seemed at least somewhat useful.
 Between 54% and 76% evaluated the group of 5 apps as somewhat/very useful. The app that gathered the
largest share of very useful/somewhat useful ratings (76%) was election night returns and updated results.
Online tracking for ballot packets gathered the smallest share of positive ratings (54%), but was still
perceived as a useful app by more than half the smart phone users.
 Opinion about the apps was unequivocal, evidenced by the fact that don’t know response was 2% or less for
only 2 of the 5 items asked about.

3. 3
Usefulness of Proposed Election Apps
 Positive perception of the apps
was strongly correlated with
age: Voters younger than age Very useful Somewhat useful Not very useful Not at all useful Don't know
55 were more likely than those
older, to rate four of the five
apps as somewhat / very Election night returns & updated results 44% 32% 10% 15%
useful.
 Positive perception of the apps Check your voter registration 34% 30% 19% 18%
was also correlated with some
behavioral characteristics,
such as infrequent voting Check what is on next election ballot 31% 32% 18% 16% 2%
history and having experience
with the KCE website. These Count-down clock/deadline to vote reminder 25% 30% 26%
18%
aspects are likely linked to the
somewhat younger age of
respondents who have smart On line tracking for ballot packet 21% 33% 20% 25% 1%
phones.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Q35A to Q35E. How useful would you find the following Elections apps? (Bases=277, smart phone owners only, each question)

4. 4
Awareness & Visits to the King County Elections Website
King County Elections is committed to having a
website that is easy to navigate, and one that
provides needed services to voters. In keeping
with this objective, the survey asked voters
several questions about the site, beginning with Awareness & Visits to the
their overall experience visiting. Website
 Only approximately one respondent in three 100%
(32%) was aware of the website. 21% Aware &
 Among all respondents, a majority said they 80% visited
were uncertain about the existence of a King 11%
Aware but not
County Elections website (56%). 60% 12% visited
 Of those who said they were aware of the
Not aware
website, most said they had accessed the 40% (not visited)
website in reply to a follow-up question.
56% Don’t know
 Respondents who have post graduate 20%
education or post graduate degrees were
more likely than others to have visited the
0%
KCE website (30%).
Q12. Is there a website for King County Elections? (Base=604)
Q13. Have you visited the King County Election website? (Base=204)

5. 5
Impressions of the Website & Suggestions for Improvements
 Respondents who had visited the website were
asked to give their impressions of three specific
aspects. Results found opinons very positive:
at least three-quarters of visitors agreed that
the website is easy to navigate (76%), the
information is clear and easy to follow (86%)
Impressions of the KCE Website
and the information is useful and important
(90%). 100%
 Impressions tended to be very consistent
80%
across all demographic subgroups.
Agree
60% 76%
 Just 13 respondents were in disagreement with 90% 86% Neutral
Disagree
any of the statements, and only those in 40%
Don’t know
disagreement were asked to provide
20%
comments, Here are some of their suggestions 11%
5% 6%
5%
for improvements: 0% 5%
5%
4% 7%
 Simplify navigation (n=3 comments) Information Information Easy to
is useful, is clear, navigate
 Improve the search function (n=2) important easy to
follow
 Provide links to more information (n=2)
 Make tone of the content on the site less biased
(n=2)
 Use emails, emails are simpler (n=2)
Q14A to Q14C. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Base=128, each question)
Q15. How would you like to see the site improved? (Base=13; those who disagreed with any of the statements)

6. 6
Usefulness of Website Features
 All respondents were asked to
evaluate three features of the King
County Elections website for their
usefulness to voters. The graph to the
right displays ratings grouped as Usefulness of Website Features
somewhat useful plus very useful
100%
(useful) and not very useful plus not at
all useful (not useful). 80%
58% 60% 62% Useful
 Results found that a majority of voters 60%
Not useful
gave ratings of useful to all three
40% Don't know
features asked about. 22% 20% 17%
20%
 Respondents more likely than others 19%
19% 20%
0%
to give ratings of useful include:
Access Access list Access links
 Those under age 45 voter's of for more
pamphlet candidates information
 Previous website visitors & measures
 Those who would prefer online
voting for 2012 election
Q18A to Q18C. How useful are the following website features that King County makes available to voters on its website?
(Base=604, each question)